Woman pleads guilty to library thefts

UPI News Service, 02/23/2012

A California woman accused of stealing about 2,000 items from various libraries and selling them online pleaded guilty to felony burglary.

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San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Marnie McGee said Maria Nater, 45, pleaded guilty Tuesday and will likely receive a probation sentence at an April 25 hearing, KSWB-TV, San Diego, reported Thursday.

Authorities said an investigation was opened when workers at a Carlsbad library noticed significant book loss and a search of Nater's Vista home turned up thousands of missing library books and DVDs, worth an estimated $5,400, with some packaged to be shipped.

Nater, who was arrested in September, admitted to taking the books from libraries in Carlsbad, Oceanside and San Diego. She said she was selling the pilfered items on Amazon.com.